Minority parties question need for
fuel price hike, demand apologies from President
Mills
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, June 11, Ghanadot -
Minority parties in Parliament comprising, the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), and Convention People's Party (CPP) are
vehemently calling on the President of Ghana, Professor John
Evans Atta Mills to immediately apologise to Ghanaians for
failing to live up to his campaign promise of drastically
reducing fuel prices in the country.
The minority parties decried the recent fuel prices hike of
30%, contending that the increase was the highest for the
past eight years. They are therefore calling on the Minister
of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor to
come before the august House and elaborate on how the 30%
surge in the petroleum commodity prices was arrived at.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, the Deputy Minority
Leader, Mr. Ambrose Dery added that the president had not
been candid and sincere with Ghanaians.
According to him, the Minority wants explanation “because
the 30 per cent increase sends the cost of fuel into the
region of above GH¢5 (per gallon), when the world price as
far as we know is around $65 per barrel.”
He explained that “if at $147 a barrel was the only time
that the NPP government allowed a price that was above GH¢5,
what is it that has gone in now to get across that GH¢5
threshold when we haven’t even gone to half the price of
$147.”
Mr. Dery, who is also, Member of Parliament for Lawra/Nandom
stressed that the Minority wants government to explain
whether its allegations that the NPP was unreasonable and
insensitive in its handling of petroleum pricing were
justified.
“Using TOR debt as a diversionary tactic is neither here nor
there,” he stated, in reference to government’s explanation
that the increases were necessary to salvage the Tema Oil
Refinery.
He said, “We know that in the price of the fuel there is a
payment for the TOR debt. We have not been told that that
payment has been increased. If it is still the same as
existed under the NPP, the TOR debt cannot be the reason
(for the increases).”
The recent fuel prices hike generated hue and cry in the
country, where civil society organisations including the
Committee for Joint Action (CJA) paid a courtesy call on the
President to protest against it.
According to the Spokesperson of the delegation, Mr. Kwesi
Pratt Jr, "The public is entitled to know the full facts
behind the sharp increases in the prices of petroleum
products, since they have far-reaching social, political and
economic ramifications" in the country.
Ghanadot
